Former High Court Justice to give prestigious address at UQ

Former High Court Chief Justice and human rights advocate Michael Kirby will speak about lesbian and gay rights and the Catholic church in a public lecture at the University of Queensland on Tuesday.

He will give the annual Archbishop Sir James Duhig Memorial Lecture in a public event hosted by the Student Club of St Leo’s College.

Justice Kirby will talk about former Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane and college founder Archbishop Duhig, his work during World War One and the churches he built.

St Leo’s College head Stephen Foley said Justice Kirby would also touch on issues close to his heart and his life’s work, LGBTI rights and the Catholic church.

“It’s an honour to have such a prominent and hard-working Australian give the lecture,” Mr Foley said.

“Justice Kirby has a legacy of speaking up for human-rights and legal issues.

“He’s served with distinction, and is bound to provide thought-provoking insights to all who come to listen.”

Michael Kirby retired as Australia’s longest serving judge in 2009.

Since then, he has served as Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations in North Korea, as a Commissioner of the UNAIDS Lancet Commission on AIDS, the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Access to Essential Medicines, and the UNAIDS/OHCHR’s panel on overreach of criminal law.

He is co-chair of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, editor-in-chief of The Laws of Australia and an honorary visiting professor at 12 universities.

The Archbishop Sir James Duhig Memorial Lecture has previously been delivered by serving prime ministers, including John Howard and Malcolm Fraser, premiers, novelists, journalists and even rock ‘n roll singers.